Polymeric phase transition artificial receptors, antibodies, and enzymes

Abstract

Multiple-phase transition copolymers are formed which can selectively bind and release a chemical, or which can selectively catalyze a specific chemical reaction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of molecular imprinting, comprising the steps of: providing a monomer solution that, when polymerized, is capable of undergoing at least one discontinuous phase-transition when subjected to at least one phase-transition condition;   contacting a template with the monomer solution; and   exposing the template and monomer solution to conditions sufficient to polymerize the monomer, so that at least a portion of the polymerized monomer forms a copolymer gel around the template.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of causing the template to be released from the copolymer gel at a phase-transition condition. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a monomer solution comprises providing a monomer solution containing acrylic acid, methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride and N-isopropylacrylamide. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a monomer solution comprises providing a monomer solution containing a given concentration of methacrylic acid, dimethylacrylamide, N-isopropylacrylamide, N,N'methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride, and a given concentration of crosslinker. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting comprises contacting with a template selected from the group consisting of ethyl-beta-fluoro-beta-(p-nitrophenyl)propionate and p-nitrophenyl glutarate. 
     
     
       6. A method of molecular imprinting, comprising the steps of: providing a monomer solution that, when polymerized, forms a copolymer gel that is capable of undergoing at least one discontinuous phase-transition when subjected to at least one phase-transition condition;   binding a template to a phase-transition polymer gel;   combining the monomer solution with the phase-transition polymer gel to which the template is bound; and   polymerizing the monomer solution in the presence of the phase-transition gel to form the copolymer gel, at least a portion of the copolymer being formed around and bound to the template.   
     
     
       7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of exposing the copolymer to conditions sufficient to cause the copolymer to be released from the template and from the phase-transition gel. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of providing a monomer solution comprises providing a monomer solution containing acrylic acid, methacrylamidopropylammonium chloride and N-isopropylacrylamide. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of providing a monomer solution comprises providing a monomer solution containing a given concentration of methacrylic acid, dimethylacrylamide, N-isopropylacrylamide, N,N' methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride, and a given concentration of crosslinker. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of binding a template comprises binding a template selected from the group consisting of ethyl-beta-fluoro-beta-(p-nitrophenyl)propionate and p-nitrophenyl glutarate. 
     
     
       11. A method of molecular imprinting, comprising the steps of: providing a monomer solution containing at least two monomers that, when polymerized, forms a copolymer gel that is capable of undergoing at least one discontinuous phase transition when subjected to at least one phase-transition condition;   contacting a template with the monomer solution; and   exposing the template and the monomer solution to conditions sufficient to polymerize the monomer, so that at least a portion of the polymerized monomer forms the copolymer gel around the template.   
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of providing comprises providing a monomer solution containing acrylic acid, methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride and N-isopropylacrylamide. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of providing comprises providing a monomer solution containing a concentration of methacrylic acid, dimethylacrylamide, N-isopropylacrylamide and N,N' methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride and a concentration of crosslinker. 
     
     
       14. A composition used in molecular imprinting, comprising a copolymer capable of undergoing at least one discontinuous phase-transition when subjected to at least one phase-transition condition, the copolymer capable of specifically binding to a target molecule, at least a portion of the copolymer having been formed around the target molecule; and   a template that is the target molecule or that is a structural analogue of the target molecule;   wherein the structural analogue is a molecule having a chemical structure substantially similar to the target molecule such that at least a portion of the copolymer is capable of binding to the structural analogue in a manner substantially the same as the copolymer binds to the target molecule.   
     
     
       15. The composition of claim 14, wherein the copolymer is derived from a monomer solution containing a concentration of methacrylic acid, dimethylacrylamide, N-isopropylacrylamide and N,N' methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride and a crosslinker. 
     
     
       16. The composition of claim 14, wherein the template is selected from the group consisting of ethyl-beta-fluoro-beta-(p-nitrophenyl)propionate and p-nitrophenyl glutarate.